These Past Shadows
by Nephi Lockwood
Summary: The story of how Astoria met, re-met, and eventually fell in love with Draco Malfoy. Rated T because I'm paranoid.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, and I am so excited to be writing it. I'm going to try to update as often as I can, but with the fall right around the corner, I can't promise anything. **

**Astoria X Draco**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Enjoy!

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****These Past Shadows**

**Ch. 1: First Day**

Three months ago, my acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry arrived in the mail. My parents pretended to be surprised and happy, though all of us knew that they weren't.

Today is my first day, and the nerves are threatening to eat me alive. Living life in the shadow of my perfect older sister makes it hard- no, _impossible_- for me to do anything right. Though _we_ get along, it is obvious that my parents favor her. The fact that I don't want to be a Slytherin doesn't help me, either.

It's not that I don't _want_ to be a Slytherin, it's just that I wish that a person could grow up in the house of ambition and cunning and not be feared. A person can be a Slytherin without being a Death Eater and hating the world. That _is_ possible. The ministry is such a band of hypocrites, claiming they want everyone to be equal while clearly shunning anyone connected to that house.

Anyway, my sister and I are running through Kings Cross station, late, of course. Daphne wouldn't leave the house without looking absolutely idiotic first. _She_ claims she looks amazing. Thanks to the sanity that I, unlike her, possess, I disagree. And it is all in an effort to impress "the _amazing_, absolutely _wonderful_ Draco Malfoy." Her quote, not mine. I seriously worry about her mental state sometimes. From what I've seen at the few balls I've been allowed to go to, Draco seems like nothing but a great git.

I follow my sister through the platform barrier to get onto platform 9 ¾. Since I don't want to make friends on the chance that we get put in enemy houses, Daphne agreed to let me sit with her on the train ride, something that I am dreading. Sitting with her means sitting with her _friends_ as well. But, unfortunately, I have no other option.

"Do try to keep up!" Daphne yells over her shoulder. I roll my eyes, not bothering to point out that it's _her_ fault we're late in the first place.

She leads me into a crowded car full of her third year Slytherin friends. As soon as the door closes, the car goes silent and they look up. Unfortunately, I recognize the silver eyes and white-blond hair of Draco Malfoy among the others. And, also unfortunately, he is the first one to break the silence with a not-so-subtle attempt to piss me off. He almost succeeds, until I realize that I won't give him that pleasure.

"Who the bloody hell is this?" He asks, glaring at me.

I still feel the blood rush to my cheeks, but I deny him my answer, instead taking a seat on the other side of the car near the window. Maybe if he asks me _nicely_ next time, I'll answer him. Until then, I'm content to allow him to keep his ignorance. I look up at Daphne, who is blushing in embarrassment at my not-so-subtle display of my immediate dislike for the arse.

"That's my little sister, Astoria. She's a first year."

I glare at her menacingly.

"Must you tell the bloody prat _everything_?" I ask, ignoring the collective gasp that my word choice earns. Daphne glares at me, again blushing at my behavior, and takes a seat on Draco's left side. His right is already claimed by an ugly, pug-faced girl that seems to be attempting to attach herself to him. I recognize his arm candy as Pansy Parkinson, Daphne's best friend. I wonder how they deal with each other crushing on the same guy.

At Draco's dark chuckle at my bold insult, the conversation starts up again, nobody bothering to talk to me. I'm quite all right with that arrangement, content to tune out everything.

Suddenly, I feel the train begin to slow to a stop. The power flickers, and the windows become covered in a frost that permeates through the car. The temperature steadily drops, and I feel like every happy emotion in me has been sucked out.

"W-What's that?" I stutter nervously, not liking this at all. Draco turns to sneer at me, mocking me before he stops cold, either because he feels the depression sinking in, or because of the power suddenly going out.

I turn back to my window after smirking at him, watching in horror as a long, shadowy figure floats past. A dementor. But why would a dementor be here?

A few seconds later, the train resumes motion.

The rest of the ride passes by uneventfully, and soon Hogwarts Castle is visible through the window. And what a magnificent sight it is.

I follow my sister out off the train, merging in with the stream of new students walking towards a number of boats. I choose one randomly, not bothering to talk since we could end up becoming enemies.

When we arrive at the castle, an old witch who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall gives us a speech, leading us into the Great Hall, where all the older students are already seated at their house tables. The time for the Sorting Hat ceremony has arrived.

The group begins to thin quickly, since there are many names ahead of mine. I wait anxiously until my turn finally arrives.

"Astoria Greengrass!"

My mind suddenly blanks, and not in a good way. It takes all of my will to slowly make my way toward the stool. I ignore the whispered conversation coming from the Draco Malfoy fan club and stare out across the sea of witches and wizards as the hat is placed on my head.

_Hmm…_it says in my head. _Plenty of courage in a brave heart…a ready mind…compassion…cunning and ambition…you have qualities from every house. But where to put you? You're a Greengrass, a family full of Slytherins, yet…you could do great things in any house…_

"GRYFFINDOOR!"

I don't hear the cheers erupting from the Gryffndoor or the protests of my sister. All I can think about is my world crumbling at my feet. My parents will not be pleased.

I take my seat at my surprising new table; grief-stricken and worried about the punishment I will most likely receive from my parents. This has got to be the last straw. My parents will surely disown me as soon as I am of age for them to do so.

How could this have happened?

The rest of the ceremony goes by in a blur, and I don't even taste the food that I force myself to eat.

When it is time to leave the great hall, I believe that I am mostly over the shock, though I still can't believe that I was sorted into Gryffindoor. I was expecting Ravenclaw at the worst. Not this.

Although I can't deny the secret happiness that I am trying to prevent myself from feeling. This is what I wanted. A chance to prove that I am not at all like my manipulative family. But what will this cost me?

Once the prefect leads us to the common room, I immediately flee to my room. I claim the bed closest to the window, and stretch out, staring at the ceiling.

I almost don't notice when my roommates come in, lost in my daydreams and other thoughts.

"Hi!" One of the girls says to me, picking the bed next to mine. "I'm Liana Terril."

A muggle-born, naturally. But unlike the rest of my family, I don't have a problem with muggles, so I smile.

"Hey! I'm Astoria Greengrass, but I go by Tori because Astoria is _much_ too long and fancy."

She nods, smiling.

"So, you're a pureblood?"

"Unfortunately," I mutter.

The other girls introduce themselves as Selene Ringer, Raquel Martin, and Kyara Travert. I have a feeling that I'm going to like these girls. It turns out that they're all half and half.

Later that night when my new friends are asleep, I write the news to my parents, knowing that I'll probably receive a howler tomorrow.

When the horrid job is over, I slowly drift off to sleep.

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**Author's Note: So, how was it? Let me know if I need to revise or anything, and ideas are welcome. Please press the review button and take a couple seconds to tell me what you thought. It means a lot, really.**

**Next chapters are major events from her 2nd through 5th years, and then it skips to their adult lives.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Alright, here is chapter 2! It takes place during her second year at Hogwarts, and it is a very important chapter in her characterization.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Enjoy!

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****These Past Shadows**

**Ch. 2: The Yule Ball & The Death Of Cedric Diggory**

Tonight is the night of the Yule Ball, and somehow my friends and I got lucky enough to score invites from older guys. Kya is in a panic, being the girliest out of all of us. She has to look "absolutely, one hundred percent perfect." Me? I just threw on the silver dress that I bought from Twilfit and Tattings, and brushed my hair so that it actually looks somewhat decent. My straight black locks fall to my waist, contrasting sharply with my abnormally pale skin.

Staring into my blue eyes in the mirror, I can't help the nervous feeling I get in the pit of my stomach. Daphne will be there, as will all of her friends, and I haven't spoken to any of them (except Daphne of course) since my disastrous second morning when I received that humiliating howler from my parents. It was awful. It took every ounce of will I had not to throw something at the people laughing from the Slytherin table.

"TORI, IF YOU DO NOT GET DOWN HERE _THIS_ INSTANT, WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE, AND NOT EVEN SHED A TEAR FOR YOUR ABSENCE!" Lia shouts up the stairs. I sigh.

"Well, it's now or never."

I walk down the stairs, ignoring the jealous looks I receive from the second years who weren't lucky enough to score a date. Selene looks stunning in her emerald green dress, and Lia is certainly going to have quite the evening in store for her. It should be illegal for those two to look _that_ drop-dead gorgeous. Raquel…I'd rather not talk about the disaster that is _her_ appearance.

"Where's Kya?" I ask, wondering why she hasn't been screamed at yet.

"Where do you think? She'll probably be ready right about the time that the ball ends," Lia responds.

Liana and I have become best friends since that first day. We have become so close, that we not only do we tell each other _everything_, but we are almost completely inseparable as well.

I smile at her attempt at humor, knowing that she's about to drag her down by her hair. Unfortunately, Kyara chooses that minute to come down the stairs, looking stunning, of course.

We exit the common room, following the crowds to the room where the ball is to take place. Dean is there waiting for Selene, who smiles at us before dragging him into the mounds of people.

I look around for Seamus, planning to escape him as soon as we make it in. I really don't like him, and he doesn't like me, but we helped each other out. I helped him by arriving with him so he doesn't look like a loser, and he helped me by getting me into the party.

Soon, I am pushing my way through the crowd, attempting to get as far away from the punch bowl as possible. I assume that he knows that I ditched him, but as far as I know, he knew I would as soon as I accepted.

Unfortunately, my luck for that night ran out, because I literally run into Malfoy.

"Damn it! Watch where you're-oh, it's you." He says. I glare up at him quite impressively.

I whirl around on my back foot, starting to walk away. He's not having that. He reaches out and grabs my wrist, preventing my escape. Just my luck.

I sigh and decide to feed into his bait after he drags me across the room to a secluded wall.

"What the hell do you want, you prat?" I ask. I haven't missed anything that's gone on when it involves the Great Malfoy-Potter Debates. I seriously think about allowing him to relive that time Professor Moody turned him small, white, and furry. The form suited him better than the one in front of me.

"How did you even get into this ball?" He asks. I can't help but feel insulted, but I decide to do what he did to me: answer his question with a completely _unrelated_ question.

"You know what I hate?" I ask. Before he can answer, I answer my own rhetorical question. "When other people answer my questions with questions!"

He smirks at me before claiming that "a lowly Gryffindoor like me isn't worth his time," and walking away. I glare after him.

"Astoria?" Daphne says, coming up to me. I can tell she isn't pleased.

"I don't need this," I mutter. I push my way into the hallway, heading outside. Fred and George have taken me under their wing, showing all of the secret passages out of the castle to me. I sit down in the grass and pull my legs up to my chest as I stare up at the stars.

* * *

The silence in the stands is eerie, and I can't help the feeling that something inside that maze is going dreadfully wrong. Draco is wearing an idiotic, self-satisfied smirk on his face, which makes me think that he knows _exactly_ what's going on in there.

I don't like it. Not one little bit.

Then, the stands erupt into cheers when Potter appears in the clearing at the entrance of the maze. But something does not feel right.

Then I see what.

Potter is clinging to the body of Cedric Diggory, the other Hogwarts champion, and even from my perch I can see that he is dead.

Later that night, when everyone is heading back to their common rooms, I can't help but over hear Malfoy telling his friends Nott and Zabini how Cedric deserved his fate since he was a muggle-born.

"Did not! No one deserves to die!" I exclaim, breaking into his little argument. He whirls around to face me.

"You just don't learn, do you little girl? Stay out of my way." He turns away, for some reason assuming that I'll listen to him.

"The hell I will!"

"Nott? Would you mind showing her what happens when someone refuses to listen to me?"

Nott steps forward, but stops at my humorless bark of laughter.

"Always the coward, aren't we Malfoy? It amazes me that people actually worship at your cowardly feet! Obviously they don't realize what a great arse you are!"

I have the pleasure of watching his face flame before Selene grabs my elbow.

"Come on. He's not worth it."

"_Petrificus totalus_!" Malfoy says, whipping out his wand on my friend. Before it can hit her, I grab _my_ ash wood wand.

"_Protego_!" I shout.

"Nice," Selene tells me.

"_Relashio_!"

I grit my teeth. If it's a duel the great git wants, it's a duel he shall get. And he hasn't seen me in a duel before.

"_Stupefy_!"

"_Ennervate_!"

"_Expelliarmus_!"

The black wand of my enemy goes flying, and I smile to myself.

"Give up yet, Malfoy?"

The cowards turn and flee down the hall, stopping only for Malfoy to retrieve his wand and send a spell back at me, which I counter easily.

"Well, that certainly was interesting," Raquel says, coming over to us.

I snicker. "Wait until the school hears that the mighty Draco Malfoy was beaten in a duel by a lowly second year."

"Come on, we better get back to the common room before someone else finds us. No doubt Malfoy will try to get back at you by crying to Snape that you're out and about this time of night." Selene reasons.

I nod, and we run down the halls back to the portrait of the fat lady.

"Banana fritters," Raquel says. The portrait swings open, and I immediately run up to our dorm.

Nobody deserved death _less_ than Cedric Diggory. He was always a great guy, unlike the great git that claimed that his blood brought on his death. How idiotic. I think that there may be one person on this planet more insane than Lord Voldemort, and _that_, my friends, is Draco Lucius Malfoy.

I change into my pajamas and slowly fall into a restless slumber, horrible visions haunting my mind.

But the vision that resonates is the return of the Dark Lord to power.

And that cannot be a good thing, even in a dream.

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**Author's Note: For some reason I just love it when they annoy each other. The ending was definitely my favorite part.**

**Please review and tell me what you think!**

**Next Chapter: 3rd Year setting.  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Chapters 3 and 4 are going to be really short because they are mainly fillers and, as much as I don't want to admit it, I have no idea what to right for them. Don't worry though. Chapter 5 will _more _than make up for it. **

**Since this chapter is so short, I am going to put up both chapter 3 and 4. Chapter 5 will come soon, I hope.**

**Sorry about the long wait. I'm so bad, taking that long and giving filler chapters.**

**Thanks to all my reviewers, alerters, and favoritors.  
**

**These Past Shadows**

**Ch. 3: Dumbledore's Army**

The Minister for Magic has officially cracked. He's officially insane.

We all know that Cedric Diggory was murdered. And we all know that the murderer was Voldemort. And yet, he has still forced this torture upon us.

Dolores Jane Umbridge is even worse than Draco Malfoy. And that is _saying_ something. I think she might be a little cuckoo in the head, myself. But that's just me.

So, since no one trusts us enough to teach us how to defend our selves, should we get attacked by any dark wizard, no names mentioned, Harry (bless him!) has decided to teach us how to fight.

So, into the Room of Requirement I go.

Today, we are working on the Patronus Charm, and the shouts of the spell vibrate off the walls. I stand in the shadows, searching my memories for something that I could use.

My eyes snap open, and I shout the spell without thinking.

"_Expecto patronum_!"

A beautiful wispy pegasus stands in front of me, looking at me before flying around the room and finally disappearing. I smile to myself before the room breaks into a panic and Umbridge breaks in with her "inquisitorial squad." I see Draco and grit my teeth. I'm seriously beginning to hate him. I mean, the nerve of the prat!

The next day I have to report to my first "detention." I wonder how long I'll have those scars.

When I get back to the common room with the others, I walk past everyone and go to my room, to depressed to do anything else.

I fall asleep plotting my revenge.


	4. Chapter 4

**These Past Shadows**

**Ch. 4: Dumbledore's Death**

Draco Malfoy has gone and done the unforgivable. He is officially a Death Eater. Anyone can see that. He tried to kill Dumbledore.

But he failed.

Snape completed the task for him. I always did hate that guy.

I would feel bad for Malfoy if he hadn't tried to make my life a living hell. After all, Voldemort will not be pleased.

All around me I see crying mourners. But not me. No, I am not crying over this. I am once again plotting revenge. Once again I am planning for battle with the ultimate arse.

He may have left school, but something tells me that I'll see him again. I just have this feeling. And when I find him, I'm going to kill him. It's not the way I want to be, but…there is no other solution. Maybe I should have been a Slytherin. Maybe not. But I think that I was sorted wrong. Gryffindoors don't plan revenge, don't plan to kill. They might plan to kill, but it's never a serious plan.

Mine is.

Back in the common room, the other Gryffindoors give me a wide berth, clearly reading the look on my face.

I don't care. I sweep past them and up to my room, ignoring them.

Then I fall asleep.

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**Author's Note: Yes, I know they were short, but please don't hurt me! Nothing really happened in those years that involved the whole school. The plot picks up, starting next chapter, and it will get much better with longer, better chapters. Just give me a little bit longer. The school is mainly just to show how the dynamic between them changes, and it is a long process, because opinions don't just change from hate to love in a second.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: Yay! I finally updated! **

**This chapter is my personal favorite so far. And I'm finally getting some length in my chapters again!**

**And now...**

**Presenting...**

**The Battle At Hogwarts!  
**

**

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These Past Shadows **

**Ch. 5: The Battle At Hogwarts**

It is time.

The war has begun.

And this time there will be no escaping the fight.

I race through the darkness, searching for my friends. The war is going to start soon. I want them by my side when we fight.

"Tori!"

I whirl around at the sound of my name, but the hall is too dark. The darkness gives me an advantage over the enemy who will soon be upon us, for I can hide in the darkness and prepare an attack.

"Liana! Where are you?"

"Walking towards you…hold on…" she trails off when she walks into me.

"Lumos," a voice says. And it isn't Lia's.

_Uh oh_, I think. _That can't be good._

The light springs up from the tip of a pitch-black wand and illuminates a face hidden by a white mask. The war has begun.

And from the looks of things we are about to be the first victims.

"Ah, hell." I grab Lia and start to run.

"We have to hide," I hiss when the footsteps behind us start to fade away.

"Where?"

I look around and decide to keep running. Fortunately, I find us a place to hide. Unfortunately, I crash through the door to the room leaving a large gaping hole in it.

I look around and push Lia into a closet, shutting the door on her protests. Then I run to the other side of the room and hide under a desk.

Two shadowy figures enter the room before the light from the death eater's wand illuminates it. I couldn't tell who they were, but now I have to be even more careful. They unwittingly stumbled into the room I was going to fight the death eater in.

I hear the clatter and crashing of the desks being overturned as he searches for us. He is obviously an animal that will not let go of its prey.

The light explodes in my eyes, and I know that I am dead, because he has found me. An evil smile curls on his lips as he raises his wand. I close my eyes as the words are said, bracing myself for the pain.

"Avada Kedavra," he says.

But I slowly open my eyes, wondering what happened. Then I scream. Liana is lying on the floor, dead.

"Damn it," I hiss. I quickly pull my wand into ready position. "Stupify."

I run over to the corner, hoping he didn't see my tears.

"So, death hurts you, does it?" The death eater sneers as he walks over to me after the spell wears off. "I will kill every person in this room. But you shall watch before you die."

He walks over, dragging me by my hair, to the silhouette of the other two people in this room. As the light from his wand hits them, I see ash blonde hair and steely, arrogant gray eyes.

The death eater releases me after he confiscates my wand and makes it vanish.

My eyes never leave the gray.

I can't believe that I'm seriously about to do this.

But Daphne would never forgive me if I didn't.

And Gryffindoors are brave to the point of stupidity, right?

"Crucio!"

As I fall to my knees, writhing in the pain, I continue to stare into unflinching gray eyes. I am proud to say that a scream never passed my lips.

I hear a low curse coming from the death eater behind me.

I slowly turn to look at him, only to be met with complete darkness. Then I see the shadow on the floor.

Dead.

The death eater is dead.

"Hurry up, stupid!" Daphne says, pulling me up to my feet.

"Y-You-You…"

"Yes, yes, we all know that I killed him, it doesn't take a ravenclaw to figure that out," she snaps impatiently.

"But why?"

She leans into my ear.

"Simple. You saved the love of my life. I had to repay you. I couldn't just let you die knowing that you saved someone that it is no secret you hate," she whispers.

"Why is she getting all the credit? I helped too!" Draco whines.

"Yes, obviously, mate," Blaise Zabini says, coming out of the shadows. "You _definitely_ busted your arse to help her when she took the curse for you. Or better yet, when her friend died for her."

Hearing him say the words makes it all too real that she is gone from my life forever. I was hoping that she would still be my best mate after graduation. We were going to be bridesmaids in each other's weddings. I was going to be her maid of honor. We were supposed to be the old ladies causing trouble in nursing homes. But all of that is gone now. It shattered in a split second.

I don't even notice the tears until I hear Daphne snapping at Blaise for his tactlessness.

"Let's get out of here," Draco announces, wrapping an arm around Daphne's shoulders and leading her out. Blaise glances apologetically at me before following. I sigh sadly.

"_Levicorpus!_" I say, pulling my wand out of the death eater's robes. Then I follow the others out of the room.

Soon the slytherins go their own way, and I'm left to find the great hall and avoid getting killed at the same time.

Fun.

After I place Lia's body in the great hall, I head outside to join the front lines of the fight.

I join Luna at the top of the stairs leading into the castle, firing curses, hexes, and jinxes out into the fray. Then I walk inward, seeing one of my other friends. I convinced him to stay. I hope that I don't live to regret it.

Just as I reach him, he falls to the ground, and I'm left to face a sneering death eater. I pull out my wand, ready to duel him. But before the first spell can be spoken, I hear a very distinct shout.

"Avada Kedavra!" Draco shouts as the body of the death eater falls to the ground. He grabs my arm and starts pulling me towards the Forbidden Forest. "Come on," he hisses.

"Jelly-legs jinx!" I hear from behind me. Draco falls, pulling me with him.

"Why are you with him?" the voice asks. I recognize Kyara's voice.

"I have no clue. He saved me and then started pulling me this direction." I answer. "Unjellify."

Draco jumps to his feet and pulls me into the forest.

"Stay here. Daphne will come find you here when the battle is over. She told me to find you and bring you here." He says, turning to walk back to the battle

"So you didn't help me because you felt you owed me something?" I ask boldly.

"No, I didn't. I don't, nor have I _ever_ owed you anything. You'd do well to remember that." He says. Then he walks away.

"Well if he doesn't feel he owes me when he clearly _does_, I guess I don't have to listen to him. I'll come back for Daphne right before the battle is over. It will be like nothing ever happened." I nod to myself and follow him out of the forest.

"_Sectumsempra!_"

The spell hits me, and I collapse to the ground, a bleeding mess. So much for my brilliant plan.

I slowly open my eyes.

White walls. Cold, hard, uncomfortable cots. Weird machines.

I guess I'm in the hospital wing.

But why?

The events from the battle rush back into me, and I close my eyes before opening them again when I hear a voice that I never expected to hear if I was hurt.

"I told you to stay in the forest. What part of that did you not understand?" Draco Malfoy asks me.

"Go away, Draco. I'm not in the mood for your crap." I reply.

"I wouldn't be here if you had just listened to me!" He snaps.

"Mr. Malfoy, if you continue to disrupt the patients, I will ki8ck you out," Madame Pomfrey announces, coming to my aid.

"Fine," he snaps.

And he walks away.

I almost thought that he had walked out of my life forever.

I never realized how wrong a person could be.

It turns out that the battle was only the start of his role in my life.

I never thought that I would see him again after that day.

But I did.

And now the wheels of fate are spinning.

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**Author's note: I'm going to try to update on a weekly basis from now on, but I can't promise anything. Life has intruded in my life. But I think that I'll finally be able to get some decent writing time now!**

**Please comment!**

**And if I don't update for more than two weeks, feel free to yell at me to get off my lazy arse (well...maybe not like that, but still...)**

**I'll try to update next week. **

**~Nephi Lockwood  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Well, I'm already failing at my update once a week thing.**

**Anyway, this chapter is very short again, for two reasons: **

**1. I ran out of ideas**

**2. I had to hurry to get this done so I wouldn't be too late in updating.**

**It's up now, so enjoy!

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These Past Shadows**

**Ch. 6: The Reunion**

I never expected to see him again.

The memories from the events those years ago still haunt me, the time I thought I knew the boy with the eyes like stone and hair like snow.

The way he looked at me that last night, so helpless, so…_frightened_…I just reacted. And then he turned back into his stupid, annoying, idiotic self. For that one second, I thought that I saw what no one else has.

I was wrong.

I saw nothing but an act. Nothing but what he wanted me to see. Nothing but a desperate plea for me to save his pitiful life.

And now, here he is again, standing before me in all of his pride and arrogance.

"Like what you see?" He asks snidely, smirking at me. I must admit that he is a talented actor. He couldn't have forgotten me…could he? Who am I kidding? Of _course _he could. Once he was done using me, there was no reason to care about me. I was merely the fifth year girl who fell into his trap to him.

"Hmm…yes," His smirk widens. "The garden is quite fantastic, don't you agree?" I finish.

His eyes widen a fraction before he controls himself. He probably doesn't even realize that I saw it. He's always underestimated me. That is Draco Malfoy's fatal flaw: he underestimates everyone and overestimates himself. He believes he's the best. I roll my eyes at that thought. He always has. Someone has to put him in his place.

And that will most likely be me.

"Yes, I agree completely," he says lamely.

I don't even know why Daphne invited him to her engagement party. I mean, who invites their crush of seven years to their _engagement party_, when the guy they're marrying isn't said crush? Daphne confuses me.

Viktor Krum, of all people, proposed to my sister. I think I just threw up a little in my mouth with the thought.

Daphne saves me from having to reply to that comment by sweeping onto the deck and coming up to me. She has that happy glow people get when they couldn't possibly be any happier.

"Tonight is perfect!" She squeals, hugging me. "Thanks so much for all your help. I could never have done this myself!"

"Of course you could have," Pansy Parkinson says, breaking into our conversation. She shoots a death glare at me when she meets my eyes. I tilt my head and look at her in confusion.

"Daphne, would you mind terribly if I borrowed your darling sister for a moment?" Pug-Faced Parkinson asks. I stare at Daphne, getting a bad feeling about this. My eyes beg her to say no.

"Of course you can, Pansy." She walks away with a smile, going to talk to Viktor and his family.

I follow Pansy out into the courtyard. Suddenly she whirls on me, and I can see the insane glint in her eye. She points her wand between my eyes.

"Stay away from Draco, you filthy blood traitor," she hisses.

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," I state calmly.

"Liar!" She snaps her want back. "Crucio!"

I fall to the ground, fighting the tears and screams, not wanting to look weak. Slytherins find your weaknesses and use them against you.

Finally, after a few agonizing seconds, the torture stops.

I gasp for breath.

"Now I told you to stay away from him. If you know what's good for you, you'll listen." Then she spins and stomps away.

I get up slowly, confusion etched all over my face.

"What was that about?" I ask the courtyard, wondering why she thought that I was with someone that she wouldn't want me to be with. I mean, Draco of all people!

"I honestly have absolutely no idea." The slow, lazy drawl is so familiar that I have to resist the urge to run away. Ever since the war, he has been more respectful of me, but I still don't trust snakes.

I take a deep breath. "Why are you here?"

"Well, I got worried when I saw you going someplace alone with Pansy. I figured it had something to do with earlier. Though why she thought that I'd _ever_ be interested in _you_, I don't understand." He says.

"Wait. _That's_ what that whole scene was about?" I shriek. "She is so stupid!"

"Yes, yes, I already knew that," he says, brushing my comment off.

I shake my head. "Not that this isn't fun, but I'm sure that Daphne's probably looking for me," I say. Then I turn to walk away.

Back in the ballroom, I scan for my sister. When I can't find her or Krum, I get some disturbing mental pictures that I quickly shake out of my head so I can preserve my sanity.

I ignore everyone and sit on the balcony, opening my current book, _Dracula_ by Bram Stoker.

Soon the party is over and I walk to my room, falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

* * *

**Author's Note: Yep. And now they are adults.**

**If you have any suggestions please let me know in the reviews.**

**Please review! I feel like no one is reading this story, and reviews make me update faster and put a smile on my face.**

**~Nephi  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: I'm finally getting around to updating! Yay!**

**I wrote a new one-shot about Narcissa Malfoy last night, and it is up and running on the site. Feel free to read it and review. I would appreciate it.**

**This story is starting to get easier to right, but not much easier. I think that I might be able to get another update in soon. In fact, I'm going to start writing the next chapter now...**

**Disclaimer: Why doesn't anyone understand that I will never own Harry Potter? *sobs*

* * *

These Past Shadows**

**Ch. 7: **

"So…" he says, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Uh huh," I agree, nodding my head wisely.

"That's…ah…interesting?"

I have just related my tale of last night to my best guy friend in the whole world, Blaise Zabini. We got really close during the Reign of Terror, as I now refer to the time when Voldemort held the position of Minister of Magic. It was terrible. We were blood traitors, Zabini and I. We lost a great deal.

But we also created a powerful bond.

"So, Parkinson thinks that you and Draco have a…thing?" He starts cracking up. I narrow my eyes and glare at him until he stops.

"Are you done yet?" I ask coldly. He nods.

We talk a while longer before I tell him that I have to leave. Work will not wait for me. And my arsehole boss will use any excuse he can find to fire me. He hates me, and I have no idea why.

I pull on my work robes and hat as I walk out the door. As much as I love being a healer, sometimes my boss almost ruins the job for me. I can't wait until my trainee days are over and I can actually be a healer and not have to answer to that prat.

I sigh.

_That will be the day_.

When I reach the wizarding hospital, I almost hide. Standing in front of the door, in all of his healer glory, is Logan Price. He was in my year at Hogwarts, and I have had a crush on him practically my entire life. I never told anyone though. He was popular and brave and perfect and everything I wasn't. He always had a girl wrapped around his finger.

I thought, when he first signed up for the healer-training program, that it was meant to be. Why else would he want to be a healer? Everyone thought that he wanted to be an auror. But he never gave me a second glance at the beginning, and I felt my hopes crumble beneath him.

And then we were the only two left, because everyone else dropped out. Suddenly, he had to notice me. Now I wish that we could go back to the days when he had no idea I existed. Surely that was easier than this!

He took me on a few dates, normal, low-key stuff, the kind of thing I wanted. And then I caught him with the other girl. I felt my heart shatter, and to this day I do not trust men. Because they're stupid, evil monsters set on the earth to make women miserable.

I hate the smirk that crosses his face when he sees me. He thinks that I am still hurt over him. The truth is, that the first night I cried on Selene's shoulder, but I never did again. She was right after all: if he did this to me, then he _obviously_ isn't worth my time.

"Hey, Greengrass," he says flirtatiously.

_Idiot. He thinks that he can still win me again._

"Mr. Price," I say. I make my voice ice as I pass him, like I've been doing for the last week and a half.

He doesn't call after me. He never would have.

Once I check in at the front desk, I head to the Department of Magical Maladies where my boss, Evan is waiting for me.

"You're late, Greengrass," he snaps when he sees me. I check my watch.

"Actually, I'm five minutes early," I tell the great prat, taking pleasure in the way his lips thin.

"What crawled up _your_ arse and got stuck?" He asks.

"I won't even bother telling you," I reply coldly.

"Logan again, am I right?"

I don't even respond.

"Tori, you have to get over him some day."

That's another thing: my boss is a complete prat, yet he wants me to date him. Even if I weren't currently in the process of healing I would never go out with him.

"You can't tell me to heal," I snap.

He gives me a long look before leading me to the room where I will be working.

"I want you to run some tests on this patient and then tell me what you find. I will help administer the cure," he says, quickly leaving me to my work. I sigh and open up today's work folder to find the list of tests that I am supposed to run.

With a flick of my wand I perform several tests before leaving the room to locate a couple of clean blood vials. I draw some of the patient's blood into each tube.

I walk quickly to the lab where all blood samples are tested.

After I test the samples, I record the data and leave to track down Evan. I walk down numerous hallways before I find the room that he is in.

"Did you run the tests?" He asks, without even sparing me a glance. I walk over to him and give him the folder, nodding. He looks over the data before leading me from the room to find the potions I need. Of course, I already knew what I would need to use to cure the patient, but there are prices that have to be paid while you're in training.

He hands me the containers along with detailed instructions on how to administer them. I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"Is that all then?" I ask, barely able to keep my frustration and amusement out of my voice. He nods before returning to his room. I shake my head and carry my things back to the room I was working in.

"I have the things I need for your cure," I tell my patient happily, closing the door with my foot.

The patient's head snaps up and she grins at me.

I skillfully administer the exact amounts that I need of the cure before handing her the vials.

"You should be able to leave this time tomorrow," I inform her. She smiles widely, happy to be able to return home to her family.

"Thank you," she says as I gather my things to leave. I smile.

"You're very welcome."

I find Evan again and tell him that my patient is cured. He looks up at me and smiles, telling me to take an hour or so off.

"You've been working really hard lately. You could use the break," he says, grinning slyly at me.

My lips curl up into a smile.

"Thanks, Evan," I say as I all but run out the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Two updates in one day! I'm so proud of myself. I guess this is my way of making up for my lack of updates the past month. **

**Remember: check out my new one-shot about Narcissa**

**I don't know how great this chapter turned out, but at the end of the last chapter, this was stuck in my mind. I had the idea and just went with it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Harry Potter's world. I am merely a poor aspiring writer with nothing better to do than write my own twist on other peoples' ideas.

* * *

These Past Shadows**

**Ch. 8: Chance Encounters**

I leave the hospital, happy that Evan understands that sometimes a person needs some time off. I walk down the road, headed towards a pastry shop that I have seen before but never had a chance to eat at since I am almost always at work.

I pass people of all types, and it does not escape my notice that, even though I was a griffindoor, people still give me a wide gap to walk through since my family supported the Dark Lord. I roll my eyes. I hate how everyone just assumes that I am like my parents.

When I find the shop again, I smile and pull the door open, coming inside.

"Hello, how may I-" The store clerk freezes in the middle of her sentence. When I see her face, I freeze as well.

"Oh my God," I practically squeal. She leaves her post behind the counter and runs over to me, giving me a huge hug.

"Astoria!" She exclaims. She gives me another hug. "I can't believe it's you!"

"Ginny! Why are you here?" I ask, puzzled.

She smiles sheepishly. "Hermione talked me into it. She didn't want to work here alone, and well, I figured I'd help her since I didn't want Harry to constantly buy me what I need." I grin.

"So, are the rumors true? Are you married to _the _Harry Potter?" I ask. She blushes and offers me a small grin.

"Engaged," she says quietly. I pounce on her.

"We _so_ need to catch up! How could you not tell me this?" I question, pretending to be hurt. She blushes again.

"Well, after the war you kind of disappeared," she says. "But now I see what you got yourself into." She looks me up and down. "A healer? I never thought that was something that you'd be interested."

"I was always good at potions, and I enjoy helping people, so here I am," I say.

"Wow. I guess you're doing okay then," she says.

"Better than okay," I admit. "Except I could have used your help, Gin."

Her face turns worried. "Why? What happened? Are you okay?"

I resist laughing at her panic. "I'm fine, Gin, really. It's just that I went through this really bad breakup about a week ago, and I really could have used your advice."

"I am so sorry!" She says. "Are you okay now? Do you want to talk about it at all? I'll listen if you do." I shake my head. "At least tell me what happened?"

"Not right here," I say, cursing myself for being so easy to persuade. "We should meet up. Can I come to your place, Friday night, say seven?"

She nods eagerly.

"Here's my new address. Go ahead and take the floo from wherever it is that you're living. I'll be waiting." She scribbles something down on the back of an old receipt and hands it to me. "I'll make sure to buy chocolate and cookies 'n cream ice cream."

"You don't need to do all that," I say.

"I do. If we're going to talk boys, we are going to need it." I sigh, knowing that arguing with my friend is futile.

"How come you didn't come back to Hogwarts for your seventh year?" I ask accusingly. "I had to suffer through my last two years without my sister. I really hoped that you would be there since she wasn't. You're like a sister to me, Gin."

She sighs sadly. "I wanted to be with Harry. I didn't really think about all the friends I was leaving behind until after I made the decision."

"You should have," I say, pretending to be angry.

"We're still friends, right?" She asks urgently. I can see that she is on the verge of panic. I smile and nod.

"Of course," I say.

"Hey, after I get off work do you want to head to the Leaky Caldron?" She asks suddenly.

"That depends on the time," I say.

"Uh…how about 5?" She asks.

"I might be a few minutes late," I warn her. She shrugs.

"Be there before five thirty, okay?"

"I can do that," I agree.

"Good."

I check the time and realize that my hour is almost up. The time went way to fast for my liking.

"I got to go," I tell her. "But I'll see you tonight!"

I walk out the door, pleasantly surprised. I was actually pretty close to the Weasley girl throughout my years at Hogwarts. She was really nice, and we were both Griffindoors, so we got to know each other. She really helped me when it was time for me to prepare for my exams. Since she was a year older than me, she was a lot more helpful than one of my other friends.

I was crushed when she left Hogwarts. My sister left during the war, and I had no other older friends that I was really close to. It was hard my last two years, especially with all the deaths and the bitterness between the griffindoors and the slytherins.

I am so lost in my thoughts that I don't notice the man until I have to serve quickly to avoid running into him. I wish I had been paying more attention.

Cold, rough fingers wrap around my wrist, pulling me towards him. He smiles evilly, and I recognize the man. The Carrow brother.

"Greengrass," he says, as if he is greeting an old friend. "I haven't seen you in the longest time. How've you been?"

My head spins. _How did he break out of Azkaban?_ More importantly, _why_ did he break out of Azkaban?

My questions are soon answered.

"I have heard from a reliable source that you have recently seen a Mr. Draco Malfoy. Am I correct?" He asks in his awful voice. It grates on me, giving me a headache.

I nod slowly. "I did see him recently, at my sister's engagement party," I confirm. He smiles.

"Good. Now tell me, girl. Where is he?" My eyes widen with understanding. He wants Draco for something. I have two choices here: lie or tell the truth.

I think for a few minutes.

"He'd probably be at his manor," I say after a moment of hesitation. He smiles and whirls away so fast that I almost didn't realize he was moving.

I can't help but wonder at what he wanted as I stare after him with a kind of horrified fascination.

And I can't help but think about if I made the right choice or not.

For some reason, I don't think that I did.

My only thought as I return to the hospital is: _what have I done?_

_

* * *

_**Author's Note: And there you go. The dusty plot wheels are finally beginning to turn.**

**~Nephi  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Here is the next chapter. At the end of the story, I am probably going to rewrite a few of the chapters. I am not going to do it now, though, because I already have enough problems updating without having to rewrite stuff.**

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately will never own Harry Potter.**

**Enjoy!

* * *

**

**These Past Shadows  
Ch. 9: The Message  
**  
I return to the hospital with thoughts of the weird incident filling my mind.

_At least that gives me something interesting to tell Ginny_, I think cynically.

Some people consider my personality to be really pessimistic. I would not hesitate to agree with those people.

I have learned that in order to take everything with a grain of salt. If that makes me a pessimist, then I'm fine with that. What people don't know is that I keep everything in a negative light so that I don't get hurt. If you don't think that anything will turn out well, you will be less disappointed if it doesn't. And if it does all end well, it is a pleasant surprise.

So my negative attitude is my protection from disappointment and hurt.

When the hospital enters my field of vision, I sigh, dreading my return to my training.

I enter the hospital and walk up three floors to the wing where the magically diseased patients are treated. I ask the woman at the desk where I might be able to find Evan. She tells me to look in room 394.

_That's weird_, I think. _I don't remember a patient being in there._

I walk through the door and see Evan standing over a girl with long gold hair. And I am at his side in a second. Because I recognize that hair. Only one girl that I have ever met has that shade of hair color.

"Daphne," I whisper. My voice breaks because it looks really bad. Her eyes flicker open.

"Tori," she mumbles, half asleep.

I feel the tears fill my eyes. "Daphne," I say again, trying not to cry. Then I whirl on Evan.

"Please tell me that you can cure this," I say. There is a pleading note in my voice that seems to surprise him. He always thought that I was a supporter of Voldemort. A Death Eater wouldn't beg over something like this. They would be happy for the death, even if it were the death of a beloved family member.

_Oh, that's right,_ I think angrily. _Death Eaters don't love, either._

"Urm...Ms. Greengrass, I'm afraid that if the next couple tests don't come back positive...well, it will be extremely unlikely for us to be able to revive her."

"No," I whisper, kneeling beside my sister's bed. "Daphne...you have to survive."

"I don't know what I'd do without you," I sob. The tears fall freely down my face now, and I don't even care. This is Daphne. She's been through almost everything with me. And she still has her whole life ahead of her. Why did it have to be her? It should have been me. I have nothing. I do not think that I will ever marry, ever have a future like Daphne's.

It isn't fair. She has everything going for her. How could this have happened? And, more importantly, why _now_?

I jump when Evan lays his hand on my shoulder. "You should take the rest of the day off," he tells me. I nod, wiping my tears away.

"I'll be back, Daphne," I promise.

I walk home, the events of today weighing heavily on me. I remember my promise to Ginny and check my watch, relieved to see that I still have hours before I have to meet her.

When I reach my apartment, I change into some more casual clothes. I am about to go back to the hospital when I hear the floo network swell. Curious, I walk over to it.

I am shocked when I see Draco Malfoy standing there, looking so sad that I almost feel bad for him. When I close the door, he looks up and sends me the angriest glare that I have ever received.

"Hello?" I ask cautiously.

"You're an arse." It was said with no feeling. Not a single drop of emotion reached his voice. "An arse, and a great git."

"This, coming from you, the prat that doesn't even know the meaning of the word. Tell me, dear Slytherin Prince, what did I do to deserve this sudden hatred?" My voice oozes sarcasm.

He sends me a mean glare that would have any sane individual running in terror. But the only feeling that it got out of me was the feeling of my skin crawling in fear.

"I bring a message for you. Amycus Carrow has taken my mother hostage in order to get to me. And my sources say that he was able to do this because of you." He says it tonelessly, but I can see the anger and accusation in his steely eyes.

Something inside me shatters. I knew that nothing good could come out of giving the Carrow brother the information, but I had been in a bad mood.

"Oh my God. I swear that I never wanted anything to happen. To any of you. Damn, I feel horrible," I babble, trying to keep the sobs back. It's all my fault. "I'm a terrible person," I whisper, looking up at him with horrifying realization in my eyes. Then my chin comes up. "I'll help you save her. It is my fault, after all."

He looks surprised and shocked at my outburst.

"Y-y-you will?" He asks, shocked. "Why?" I ignore the fact that this occasion, him unable to find anything else to say, would be perfect blackmail later. I think that I've done enough.

"Because I made a mistake, and I intend to make it right," I say.

"They left no trace," he says slowly, as if I'm a stubborn little kid that doesn't know what they're talking about.

"And your point is what?"

"Fine," he snaps. He takes a seat on my couch and motions for me to sit across from him. I love how he thinks he can boss me around in my own house. I smile sadly and shake my head.

"My sister is in the hospital. She could die. I must go to her," I say. He nods. I wait a few minutes. He doesn't move. I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"Get your arse out of my house!" I screech.

He smirks at me before leaving the way he came.

Alone at my flat, I grab a carton of ice cream out of the freezer, curl up on the couch, and turn on the first sappy romance movie that I see on my shelf. This ritual always helps me when nothing in my world is going right.

When five o'clock comes, I throw the empty ice cream container away, pause my movie, and walk out the door to meet Ginny.

* * *

**Aw...poor Tori...  
So many things in her life are going wrong! Will things stay bad, or will something happen to make everything look up?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out!**

**Review!**

**~Nephi Lockwood  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**These Past Shadows  
Chapter 10  
Trouble Seems To Hunt Me Down**

I walk into the Leaky Cauldron and immediately search for Ginny. I am so excited to finally be able to talk to her again, especially since all of these things centered on me have randomly started to happen. I am going to need someone to talk to in the future. I just know it.

I find her sitting in a corner. I walk over to her, and when she finally looks up from her butterbeer, she smiles at me.

"Astoria!" She exclaims.

"Ginny!"

I sit down across from her at the table.

"So. Tell me about your life recently," she says. I nod.

"A bunch of things happened to me _today_, actually," I tell her. She smiles.

"Do tell."

"They aren't happy," I warn her, knowing how her imagination is. Her face falls slightly, but she nods. I take a deep breath and tell her everything that has been happening to me recently.

"Trouble seems to hunt me down," I finish. She nods, looking dazed. I am about to ask her if she is okay before she starts talking,

"That," she begins. "Was not what I was expecting."

I burst out laughing at that comment, and even she cracks a smile.

"That boy was obviously not worth your time to begin with. You should have known. I thought that I had taught you better than that," she scolds. I look down, refusing to meet her eyes. She's right. She _did_ teach me better than that.

"You're right," I mutter, feeling really bad.

"Oh, by the way, I'm so sorry about Daphne. How are you holding up?" She asks. I sigh.

"Not good. I don't know how I can live without my sister, and now I promised Draco that I'd find his mother, and I can't be two places at once. Oh, Ginny, what am I going to do?" I am in tears by the end of that. I want to stay by my sister's side, but a promise is a promise. I intend to keep it. She sends me a sympathetic look before waving over the waiter.

"Can I get a firewhiskey for my friend here?" She asks. He nods and disappears. I look at her incredulously.

"You know I can't stand firewhiskey!" I say. She just looks at me.

"Trust me. You need it," she says. "Nothing heals a broken heart like getting drunk off your arse."

I have to smile at that.

"I can't believe he cheated on you. You should hex him." Ginny advices, sipping her butterbeer.

"Sorry, but no can do. I've worked too hard to get suspended from training just when my sister needs me."

"How are you going to help Draco _and_ your sister?" She asks. I shrug.

"He knows that she is in the hospital. I made sure to tell him so that he would not expect too much. He _seemed _sympathetic enough, but you never really know with him," I say. She nods.

The waiter returns with my firewhiskey and I take a sip, shuddering at the awful taste.

"Do you think that Evan will give you time off?" She asks. "Like emergency leave?"

I snort. "_Evan_? No. Never. He hates me too much. He takes a sick joy in my pain."

"That sucks."

"Understatement of the century," I mutter, taking another small sip of the firewhiskey.

"So what are you going to do?" She asks.

"Leave the country," I mutter. Then I look at her. "No, I'm actually probably going to ask for some sort of vacation time off. Maybe Evan will take pity on me, but it is not likely. No, I'll probably end up working."

"I have a few nasty things to say to this Evan," Ginny mutters.

"As long as you use your bat-bogey hex on him," I reply with a sardonic smile.

"Of course. I was getting there."

"How do you think Draco is going to be? Do you think he'll at least _attempt_ understanding of my situation?" I ask. She shrugs.

"Honestly? I think that by the time you find his mum, you'll be so angry with him that you will never speak to him again." She responds. I laugh.

"That bad?" I ask.

"Worse, most likely," a voice says. I look up and see Hermione Granger standing over us.

"Mione!" Ginny greets. Hermione smiles.

"Hey, Gin," she says.

"Has Ron finally proposed?" Ginny asks. Hermione blushes and looks quickly in my direction before giving Ginny a scathing look.

"Yes, Ginny. He has," she snaps. Ginny frowns.

"If you sounded any more excited, I would worry that you were depressed."

"Yeah, well. I'll call you later," she says, walking away.

"Sorry about her," Ginny says. I shrug.

"With what we do to each his own," I mutter. She nods.

"So are you really going to help Draco? You've hated him your whole life," she says.

"It's my fault that his mum was abducted. You should know that I feel terrible."

"Still. He's such a prat."

"He's a slytherin," I say with a shrug.

"True."

"You know what really sucks about the whole thing?" I ask.

"What?"

"Daphne's engagement party was last night. She has a whole life ahead of her. I should be the one in the hospital. I have no clear future, and all I've done since I was a baby is disgrace my family and muck up everyone else's life."

"Don't say that," she chides.

"Why? It's true."

"And you wonder why you can't get a guy. Maybe if you had some self-respect you _would_ be able to get a guy."

"I don't see why it matters," I tell her.

"Guys like confident women. You definitely do not fall under _that_ category."

"Is that a crime?" I snap.

"And you never let anyone in. Relationships are built on a mutual trust. No man wants a woman who doesn't trust them."

"I don't _want_ a man," I say. She arches an eyebrow. I sigh.

"Fine. Maybe I do," I mutter. She smiles.

"Told you."

"But I can't find anyone _worth_ being with. All men are scum. You got the only _good_ guy on the planet," I explain. She sends me a sympathetic glance.

"I'll help you find someone," she promises. I groan.

"No. I want to find my soul mate all by myself," I disagree. She sighs but doesn't fight me. She knows that fighting would be futile.

"If that is your decision," she mutters in agreement. I smile.

"It is," I respond. She looks up.

"You need someone in your life, Tori. Find _someone_. Even if you end up with _Malfoy_. I don't care. Just find someone you love. You _need _someone that you can trust. You need a relationship in your life."

"I did not come here so that you could lecture me on my nonexistent love life," I snap. She winces.

"Fine." With that she gets up and walks away, leaving money on the table.

_Nice going Tori,_ I think. _You just pushed away your best friend. You have some serious emotional baggage and need help._

With those pleasant thoughts, I return to my apartment and cry myself to sleep.

_Why am I such an arse?_ I wonder. That is my last thought before I fall asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Hurray! I finally finished the chapter! This was actually pretty hard to write, but I feel like it is important to the rest of the story.****These Past Shadows  
Chapter 11  
The Beginning**

* * *

I wake up to sunlight streaming through my window. I turn my head to look at the clock and immediately jump out of bed.

"Crap!" I overslept. I look towards the bathroom before deciding that I don't have enough time to worry about a shower. I run a brush through my long black hair before running to the kitchen and grabbing a fiber one bar. I apparate to work.

The day, for the most part, goes by quickly. I spend most of the time I am there with my sister. But about an hour before I can leave, something unexpected happens.

"Healer Greengrass, you have a visitor," Evan's aid tells me. I look towards him.

"Tell him that I will be there in a minute."

I finish what I was doing and head out into the waiting room, where I stop short. My eyes meet gray.

"Why in hell are _you_ here?" I snap.

"You made me a promise," he accuses. I send him a nasty glare.

"I also told you that my sister was in the hospital." I respond.

"Yes," he says slowly. I resist the urge to slap him.

"So you must understand that I can't just let her die. She is my _sister_."

"Your point?" He asks with a smirk. I give in to the urge to smack him.

"You have no heart," I said coldly. "But I guess that you like hearing that after all of these years. Obviously you haven't even tried to change."

One second he is a safe distance away. Then next, my back hits the wall and he is on top of me, his hot breath in my face.

"You are _way_ out of line, Greengrass. In case you have forgotten, it is _your_ fault that my mum is gone. The pot is calling the kettle black, you arsehole." He says cruelly, grabbing my wrists roughly. I push him away from me, sending him a glare.

"If you continue to treat me like crap, I will not help you at all. I do not appreciate your self-centered, damnable attitude." I walk away, tossing my medical gloves into the garbage can on the way out.

"Where are you going?" He asks, sounding slightly remorseful. I turn to him with scorn clearly written on my features.

"I am going to ask my boss for some time off. Then I will begin this quest. But I swear to Merlin, if my sister dies without me because of your selfishness, I will kill you." With that, I go see Evan.

He takes one look at me and walks up, examining my wrists.

"What happened to you?" he asks. I glare at the wall.

"Draco Malfoy happened," I mutter contemptuously. He shakes his head.

"Look," I say. He raises a brow, probably already knowing what is coming.

"Yes?"

"I need some time off. Draco needs me to help find his mum."

Evan sighs. "You have one week," he says before walking away.

I walk back towards Draco.

"You have just gotten _very_ lucky. My boss never gives me time off. What did you do, bribe him?" I ask. He shakes his head.

"I didn't do anything."

We walk out of the hospital together. I lead him towards my flat so that I can change out of my healer robes. I slip on a black muggle tank top and an airy teal skirt. I walk back in to see Draco sitting at my kitchen table.

He looks up when I come in, his eyes landing right on the bruising on my wrists from his rough grip. He stands and walks over to me, proving that he is not completely heartless. But I had already known that. If he was heartless, he wouldn't be in my flat right now.

"Are you alright?" he asks. I smile slightly, running the figures of my right hand over the bruising on my left.

"Yes." He nods.

"You ready?" He asks. I nod slowly.

"Do you even have any ideas where to look?" I ask. His eyes widen and he sits back down.

"I hadn't thought that far," he mutters, clearly shocked by that fact. I smirk.

"Luckily for you, I _did_ think that far. I think that we would have the best chance of finding them would be to pay a visit to the house of any former allies of theirs."

He nods. "That's sensible," he concedes.

"See?" I smirk. "I'm not as stupid as I look." He chooses to ignore that.

"I think that it is time for us to go back to school," he says. I immediately get what he is saying and nod. He wants us to talk to Snape. He knew everything about the death eaters. He should have an idea of where we could find the Carrows or their allies.

* * *

The castle, from the outside, appears unchanged. But the inside has a completely different feel. The parts that were not rebuilt carry the feeling of death and oppression. The parts that were changed do not fit the castle at all. The immense age carried by the unchanged parts is at a severe contrast to the pristine new feeling of the new sections.

"Wow," Draco whispers. "It's changed so much." I nod.

"This castle has seen so many regrets, so much darkness, and, above all, so much happiness."

He makes a disbelieving noise. "In a philosophical mood?" He asks mockingly. I ignore him. "Regrets? Seriously?"

"Shut your mouth, Malfoy," I snap, heading towards Headmistress McGonagall's office.

When we arrive, Snape's portrait is sleeping. Of course. Why would this be easy for me? I look to Draco for advice on how to wake him up. Draco shrugs.

"SNAPE! Wake up!" He yells. I roll my eyes.

"I could have done that," I snap.

"Well then why didn't you?" he asks.

"Because I actually _respect_ other people," I respond. He rolls his eyes. Snape looks between us as we argue, a small smile on his lips.

When Draco ignores me, I turn to the portrait.

"Mister Snape," I begin. "I made a mistake. A bad one. Draco's mum has been captured by the Carrows, and it is all my fault."

He looks at me pityingly.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: The electricity was out at my house all day Thursday. And Friday. I couldn't post because of that. But I **_**did**_** manage to get some writing done.**

**Right now, I am sitting in a motel room because the electricity is _still_ not on, and it is 8:22 Friday night.**

**This is the 12****th**** chapter. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**These Past Shadows  
Chapter 12  
Snape's Advice**

Saying that it was strange to talk to a dead person would be a lie. It was _beyond_ strange. Think of the weirdest thing you can imagine. Now double the feeling of weirdness. You are still nowhere near how weird it was to be talking to Snape.

"What would you like me to do about it?" Snape asks bitterly. "I'm _dead_." I look at Draco and raise an eyebrow. _Someone_ hasn't accepted the fact that he's dead.

"If you didn't want to die, you shouldn't have been born," I snap. Then I look to Draco. He sighs and looks past me to the old potions master.

"I was-"

My glare stopped him short.

"_We were_," he corrects exasperatedly. "Hoping that you could possibly tell us the names of any allies of the Carrows or even where they might be right now." Snape looks at us before shaking his head.

"All their allies are dead or in Azkaban. There is nothing that I can do to help." He says.

"The _Carrows_ were in Azkaban. They broke out. Couldn't they have broken out their living allies?" I ask. Snape considers this.

"I suppose that isn't _totally_ impossible." He relents. "Allies: Rosier, Parkinson, and Greengrass."

I freeze at the last name. Greengrass? As in _my family_?

"Excuse me sir, but do you mean _my_ family Greengrass, as in my parents?"

"Only your father."

I stop breathing for a moment. Merlin, help me. If my father is helping to support the Carrows, we're doomed. There is no way that I can fight the wrath of Alec Greengrass. When he wants something, he gets it, no matter the cost. So we are probably walking into a trap.

The realization stops me short.

"Merlin, Draco," I breathe. "We're walking into a trap. What are we going to do?"

He looks at me, obviously coming to the same conclusion. "We have no choice. We're going to spring the trap."

I shake my head sadly. If this mission doesn't get us killed, it might be crazy enough to work.

"Thank you, Mister Snape," I say as Draco walks out of the room. I follow him.

"Draco, this is insane. I know my father. This is going to get us killed." I say. He looks at me.

"Anything else?" He asks. I ignore him and walk away.

"You are so bloody arrogant," I say as we walk to Hogsmead. "I tell you that we are going to die and you brush it off like something that could never happen to you. Draco Malfoy, you are not immortal. Get your head out of the clouds. You may not care rather you live or die, but I have responsibilities. I will not let your arrogance get _me_ killed."

He shoots me a withering look.

"I acknowledge the fact that we could die. But you should know that slytherins are not known for bravery. So instead of trying to point out the fact that we could die, you should be telling me that we are definitely going to succeed. I don't want to run from this."

I can't help softening at that.

"You are not a coward unless you _make_ yourself one," I say.

"Is that an insult?" he asks. I smile.

"It depends on how you choose to interpret it," I respond. He rolls his eyes.

"You are the most annoying human being alive," he declares. I smirk.

"More so than Potter? Wow, I'm honored." I respond flatly, not in the mood for his crap. He smirks.

We walk the rest of the way in silence, apparating to Malfoy Manor.

I gasp when I see the Manor. It is beautiful. Dark, gothic, but beautiful. It is everything that you could possibly expect to see from a former death eater and his family. There is even a wrought-iron gate. If I hadn't known better, I would think that it was Dracula's home in England.

Draco mutters something and grabs my arm, yanking me…_through_ the gate? We passed right through it. I can't help applauding the Malfoy's for their genius. A ward like that takes a lot of skill. It obviously requires some sort of password. I would hate to see the effects on a person who reaches out to grab it.

"Don't take this as my opinion on _your_ character, but the house is stunning," I admit.

"Stunning until you walk inside," he mutters. I look at him sharply, but, as per his usual, no emotion shows on his face.

Of course, as soon as I walk around for a little bit, I understand exactly what he meant. It has a sort of empty feel to it. But I suppose that is to be expected with a house of that stature. But as I look around, I get a feeling that it is more of a historical restoration than a house people live in. I can't see anything that would show that someone lives in here. It is cold, empty, and has a slight feel of darkness and oppression. But that is only natural since Voldemort made it his headquarters during the war.

"How can you stand it?" I finally ask. He looks at me sharply.

"What do you mean?" He asks, even though I know that he knows _exactly_ what I mean.

"It's so…empty. And it looks like no one has lived here, ever. Didn't you ever, I don't know, _do _anything when you were little like most people?"

He looks away, his jaw tightening.

"Malfoy's weren't most people." is all he says. I can tell from his tone that further discussion on this matter would not be appreciated. But I can't help wondering what it must have been like, growing up as the son of the most powerful wizarding family in London, a son that actually fit everyone's expectations. Even my sister and I did normal things. When I started showing signs of not wanting to be in Slytherin, things changed a little, but I was still able to have fun. I showed no signs of being the second daughter that they wanted, but they still let me have fun. Judging by this house, the Malfoys were uptight even then and did not let him do anything but learn the proper code of conduct for a pureblood society. I can't help the pang of sympathy that I feel.

We walk into the second floor sitting room and discuss what we just heard. Tracking down every possible location of these people is going to be difficult, but I can help with my family knowledge. I know the name and location of every Greengrass estate in Europe. My family may not have wanted me to know them, but our library was my sanctuary in that house for years.

Parkinson and Rosier will be difficult. I'm sure that Draco would be able to seduce Pansy into giving up the information, but Eva will not prove that easy. Eva is extremely clever.

"What are we going to do?" I ask. He shakes his head.

"Let me think." I roll my eyes, knowing that I have two of them figured out. But I'll wait. I'm sure that he wouldn't have figured it out.

**Author's Note: **_**Very**_** significant chapter. I will trust that you will figure out why in time.**

**The seeds have been planted…**

**~Nephi Lockwood**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: Once again, I have utilized my snow days to create a new chapter. It is still Thursday, so the power is **_**still**_** out. I hope that it is back on tomorrow so that I can post this stuff.**

**This is it. You finally find out who broke the Carrows out of Azkaban, who is responsible for the capture of Narcissa.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter.**

**Guess what? It is Tuesday now, and my internet is back! I hope this chapter was worth the wait.**

**These Past Shadows  
Chapter 13  
My Family Secrets**

I am not disappointed. Draco Malfoy is not the _sharpest _knife in the drawer, as the Americans say. Oh well.

"Need advice?" I ask cockily. He glares up at me.

"What advice could _you_ give me?" He snaps.

"None if you keep that attitude up," I respond. He sighs.

"Fine. Give me the damn advice."

"I can tell you all the dirty little secrets about the estates that my family has. I know everything there is to know about them. Diaries are helpful." He nods appreciably

"And the others?" he asks. I roll my eyes.

"So impatient. For Parkinson, you could probably seduce Pansy into giving up _those_ secrets. But the Rosier secrets will be hard to get. But first, we need to figure out if Parkinson and Rosier are still in Azkaban. I know that Alec Greengrass isn't. My family managed to escape imprisonment, though I assure you that I disagree with the decision. My father should serve his time and man up, as the Americans say."

He nods. "I don't give you enough credit, Greengrass," he admits. "You're smarter than I thought that you were."

"Thanks," I say sarcastically. But inside I am slightly happy to have impressed him. That's slightly scary. I take a deep breath before plunging over a cliff in my mind. "You aren't so bad yourself, Malfoy."

He smirks at me before turning away.

"Seems as though we need to pay a visit to the Ministry of Magic," he says mockingly. I smirk and nod.

"Fun," I say sarcastically. He throws some floo powder into the fire and steps inside, shouting his destination and leaving me alone. I quickly follow suit.

I fall out of the fireplace in the ministry. I look up to see Draco smirking from above. I shoot him a withering glare before pushing myself back onto my feet.

We walk around before we get to the floor with the Magical Law Enforcement Department on it. I turn to Draco.

"Let me do the talking. You'll just piss them off and then they won't tell us what we need to know." He glares at me but nods, seeing that it makes sense.

I knock on the door of Harry Potter's office, taking a deep breath. He sees me and smiles warmly, motioning for me to come in. Being Ginny Potter's friend has its advantages. When he sees Draco, he turns to me in shock.

"Why are with that prat?" He asks me. I shrug.

"Long story."

"Well you can both explain it to me over a pot of tea. Ginny's here too," he adds with a pointed look at me. That explains the tea.

When Ginny comes into the room, I explain everything to Harry, getting "help" from Draco. Luckily they don't pay any attention to him.

"We're here because we need to know if Parkinson and Rosier are still in Azkaban. I know that the Carrows are not. I saw Amycus." Potter nods.

"I will arrange for you and _only you_ to take a portkey to Azkaban and find out. Sorry, but I just don't trust Draco. I haven't heard anything, but I hadn't heard that the Carrows were running around kidnapping people like the lunatics they are either." I nod my thanks, standing.

"Oh, and Tori?" I turn to face him.

"Yes?"

"If you need any help, the auror department would be happy to assist on your quest. We want those lunatics imprisoned just as badly as you do." I smile.

"Thanks for the offer, but we don't need anything right now. But later on we might." He nods, understanding.

"Why did you tell Pothead that we might let him help?" Draco snaps at me as he appears back in the fireplace at the Manor. I roll my eyes, not answering him.

"Do you want my information or not?" I snap. He nods, sitting in the armchair across from me.

I go through all the estates we have, detailing the wards and protective spells that surround them, explaining exactly what they do. I also go into detail on spells that could get through the wards to monitor the people inside.

"If my father is the one supporting them, they would most likely be hidden in the Irish villa or the Italian manor. No one except the immediate family knows about them. Hell, _I_ wasn't even supposed to know about them since I wasn't the perfect pureblood daughter they wanted. The wards are also the strongest and hardest to break. The estates will pose a real challenge to slip into. I do not believe that the wards will let me in. My father will have ordered them not to let me inside. If they are in one of them, you will be on your own inside. I would recommend entering through the vents once you are inside the gates. From there you can work on getting me inside. Unless you want to do it on your own."

An idea suddenly occurs to me.

"I could let them to capture me. Then I would already be in their custody. I could send you notes about where we are and how to get inside."

He nods, soaking in everything I just said.

"We'll figure out what we need to do once we know who is supporting them." He says.

The next morning I wake up in my flat and check the time. I will have two hours with Daphne if I hurry. Then I have to get to the ministry so that I can take a portkey to Azkaban.

I slip into robes and run a brush through my hair before apparating to St. Mungos.

The two hours go way too fast. Soon I am with Harry, grabbing onto an old shred of fabric. I feel a hook behind my navel as we travel to Azkaban.

We walk through the walls, looking inside each cell that is supposed to be occupied. According to the schedule, all cells should be full.

I walk by the empty cells of the Carrows before moving onto Rosier's cell. He is there. I breathe a sigh of relief. His information would have been the hardest to get. We move to Parkinson's cell.

He is still there, I notice with disbelief. My father is the only one supporting them. Harry seems to realize the same thing, because he shoots me a sympathetic glance. I attempt a smile back, but even I know it failed.

I return to the Manor, determined not to let Malfoy know how badly I am affected by this newest betrayal. He walks into the sitting room where I sit covered in soot from the floo. But obviously I didn't do a good job hiding my feelings, because his face changes immediately when he sees me.

"Who is it?" he asks. I get the feeling that he already knows.

"My father," I whisper, trying my damndest to hold back the tears. But some still escape and I wipe them away, furious with myself for letting them fall. We sit there just staring at each other for what feels like hours.


	14. Chapter 14

**These Past Shadows  
Chapter 14  
A Strange Act of Kindness**

I do miraculously well, considering that I just found out that my father is the reason I am currently sitting inside Malfoy Manor, staring across the sitting room at the young master of the house. But no matter how hard I tried, I could not contain the tears.

I heave deep, panicked breaths, finally grasping the full extent of the situation. Soon tears are streaming down my cheeks and I am bawling. The last time I cried like this, I was a little kid.

I pull my knees up to my chest and turn on the couch, putting my forehead against my knees. I don't want him to see me cry. I don't need that.

I hear him get up, but I don't think much about it. Then I feel the couch dip with the pressure of someone sitting down beside me and lift my head, wiping away my tears and looking behind me. I am shocked to see Draco Malfoy sitting there.

Needless to say, I am even more shocked when I feel an arm wrap around me.

We sit like that for the longest time before I can finally calm down enough to function. Then I realize my position and move sharply away, shocked at myself.

Draco gets up, probably feeling just as awkward as I am. I mentally slap myself, muttering about idiocy as I move through the house to the bathroom.

Once I am in the bathroom, I pull the door shut and lean over the sink, splashing warm water on my face.

I can't believe that lying traitor I call my father. Just who does he think he is? A new Voldemort? He isn't. No one is. There will never be another Voldemort in this world. That kind of person comes around only once.

I shake my head. Why am I so surprised? I know how corrupted my "father" is. I know how he feels about the Malfoys. He has hated Lucius for years. I suppose that this is some elaborate way to get to…_wait_.

"Hey Malfoy!" I yell, running through the manor. I am not paying attention and soon I run into a solid mass and stumble backward into a wall. He reaches out a hand to steady me reflectively.

"Yes?" He asks, looking at me mockingly. I roll my eyes.

"You can be a prat any time. But you can't get this information any time, so I suggest that you listen." I snap. He nods slowly, probably thinking that it is important.

"I just decided to inform you on something I realized just now and found rather interesting." He nods as if to say _get on with it_. "Did you know that Alec Greengrass has a grudge on one Lucius Malfoy? Just a little known fact for you."

"And what does this have to do with anything that is going on?" He asks.

"Use your brain, Malfoy! Greengrass is supporting the Carrows! I think that his motivation is that grudge. I think that we should pay your father a visit."

"_How_? They won't let me into Azkaban. You heard Harry. They don't trust me." He snaps. I consider this before quickly scribbling a short note to Harry outlining the situation. He said that the auror department would help. This is what we need. We need him to pull some strings to get us _both_ into and out of Azkaban. I can't go to visit Lucius by myself. That would end badly.

"Do you have an owl?" I ask. He looks affronted that I even have to ask.

"Of course. I'm-"

"_Draco Malfoy_. And I'm Astoria Greengrass. Glad we've got that all cleared up." I snap. He shakes his head, trying to hide a slight grin before leading me to the window where a beautiful eagle owl is sitting. I quickly tie the letter to his leg and send the owl to the ministry.

We wander back to where we were and I take a sudden interest in the tiled floor while I await a response to my owl. I try to ignore the awkwardness of the silence before I break.

"Thanks for earlier," I mutter, so quietly that I almost don't think that he heard me. Which would have been just as well. I look up and see him nod mutely. I assume that his response is the best one that I will get.

I hear a small chirping coming from outside and run to the window, anxious to read Harry's reply.

_Astoria-_

_I do believe that we could find a way to get Draco in to Azkaban. But it would probably take longer than you are willing to wait. _

_Both of you come over tonight for dinner. Ginny wishes to speak with you, and I want to see if Malfoy can be trusted. I understand why you want him to come with you, but it will be difficult to convince the ministry since he was a death eater. _

_See you tonight-  
Harry_

I groan. The last thing I want is to go over to his place and be studied like I'm some kind of freak. I wouldn't mind so much if it was just Draco being studied, but I know that he wants to watch me and make sure I'm still stable. He probably assumes that this most recent development in my father's ickiness sent me off my rocker. But I am still completely sane.

I sigh and hand the letter to Draco so that he can read it. When he is done, he crumples it up and shoots it into the fireplace, basketball style. The letter slowly burns to ashes.

"Why?" I ask simply. He shrugs.

"Why not?" He responds, walking out of the room. I stare after him in shock. Mind blown. He has a point there. I follow him, knowing that I am not going to be able to make him come to this dinner party.

Three hours later, I am banging my fist on Malfoy's door, screaming at him to come out of his room and come to the party. He already agreed to it. He may as well come.

"Get your arse out here! _You're_ the reason that Harry wants us to come. I just happen to be the unfortunate side kick." I yell. Finally he opens the door with a harsh glare.

I apparate us to Harry's house.


End file.
